A local scientist who tested meat and offal from cattle after they recovered from foot-and-mouth disease says her findings could help modernise slaughter regulations and save farmers thousands of rands per animal.
By Suzanne Venter
Professor Armanda Bastos and her team slaughtered 90 cattle that had recovered from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and tested 1 800 samples to determine how the virus affects meat and offal destined for early slaughter.
She hopes the findings will bring farmers some relief.
Her research could prove that if cattle were slaughtered two weeks after they had recovered from FMD, it is not necessary to debone the carcasses and discard large quantities of offal.
Bastos is a professor in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria. She is also director of the Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Centre and a member of the ministerial task team on FMD.
Bastos says the science underpinning the current slaughter requirements for cattle that have recovered from FMD is outdated.
“The big problem is that there is currently no research on the risks associated with meat from cattle that have recovered from foot-and-mouth disease. Existing research was done on cattle while they were still testing positive.”
Large-Scale Testing After Recovery
“We have now conducted tests on cattle slaughtered two weeks after day zero,” Bastos says.
The team slaughtered 90 cattle on the same day and tested their organs, bone marrow and lymph nodes to determine whether any traces of the virus remained. More than 1 800 samples were analysed individually to assess the actual risk.
The logistics were demanding. After slaughter and sample collection over a 16-hour period, the samples were transported more than 400km to the Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station near Orpen Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park.
The laboratory complex there is one of only two facilities in South Africa approved to conduct FMD research.
“A project of this scale would not have been possible without a large team,” Bastos says. “Twenty people worked on sample collection alone. We also relied on the financial support of Red Meat Industry Services and the pharmaceutical company Zoetis, which made it possible to test each sample individually.”
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Early Results Show Less Wastage May Be Needed
Although the final results will be published soon, the preliminary findings are encouraging.
“Our results indicate that many of the regulations currently in force for early slaughter – between two and six weeks after day zero – are unnecessary,” Bastos says. “It appears that most of the animal is safe to use.”
This could significantly reduce losses for farmers and abattoirs.
What Does ‘Day Zero’ Mean?
Day zero is a key concept in FMD management. It is defined as the day on which cattle are declared clinically healthy after infection, or the last day on which the final animal in a herd receives its first vaccination, whichever occurs later.
Dr Shaun Morris of Octavoscene, a specialist veterinarian and member of the ministerial FMD task team, explains: “Day zero is the day on which no clinical signs are observed by the state veterinarian in unvaccinated cattle. Reaching day zero usually takes six weeks to two months, but it can occur earlier when animals are vaccinated.”
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Current Slaughter Rules Explained
Morris says FMD regulations are adjusted as new research becomes available, but at present the rules are as follows:
- 15 to 41 days after day zero (early slaughter): Cattle may be slaughtered only at approved abattoirs that do not export meat. Carcasses must be matured and deboned. The head, feet, tongue, lymph nodes and all offal must be removed and destroyed. Only meat with a pH of 6 or lower may be sold, as this inactivates the virus.
- Six weeks to three months (late slaughter): Cattle may still only be slaughtered at approved non-export abattoirs. The carcass must be matured to reach a pH of 6 or lower. The head, feet and tongue must be removed and destroyed.
- More than three months after day zero: Cattle may be slaughtered at any abattoir. Only normal meat maturation is required, and none of the additional restrictions apply.
Heavy Financial Impact on Farmers
Because of these rules, many farmers choose to delay slaughter, even after cattle have recovered.
“Producers often wait longer before sending cattle for slaughter because early slaughter leads to major losses,” Bastos says. “That delay creates a knock-on effect throughout the system.”
Losses vary depending on the abattoir, location, market access and transport costs.
According to Morris, the impact can be severe. “If all the regulations are followed, farmers can lose up to R5 000 per animal with early slaughter,” he says.
Beyond direct financial losses, Bastos points out that the offal market, which plays an important role in food security, also suffers because much less product reaches consumers.
Global Relevance
“As far as we know, no other country has conducted this type of research on cattle that have recovered from FMD,” Bastos says. “Understanding the real risks could help farmers and consumers worldwide and prevent unnecessary waste.”
The team plans to conduct similar research on pigs in the near future.
Also read:
Keeping Gauteng food secure amid the FMD outbreak
FMD | ‘I have no more tears left to cry’ – pig producer
‘We cannot put entire cattle herd under quarantine’ – SA dairy industry demands FMD policy clarity
